Lock with demountable cores



Dan, M, was. H HT mzwn Deco 1Q, 1935. G VOlGHT 2,23,41

LOCK WITH DEMOUNTABLE CORES Filed April 1, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES -ATENT OFFHQE LOCK WITH DEMOUNTABLE CORES Application April 1, 1935, Serial No. 14,071

20 Claims.

This invention relates to looks and more particularly to looks wherein the lock mechanism is provided with a removable core which may be readily withdrawn from the case or structure in which it is mounted and a new core inserted.

In many instances it is desirable to be able to remove the core or the rotating cylinder of a cylinder lock in order that a new core or cylinder may be inserted to provide for the operation of the lock by a different key. This happens when keys are lost or when it is desirable to change the lock upon a door for some reason so that it can no longer be operated by the old keys.

This result has been elfected in the past usually by providing a key cylinder or look core with a. retaining pin or tumbler or some other retaining means which is operated or actuated by a special key. In such instances the key cylinder is turned by the usual key to operate the lock or latch bolt, but this key will not effect the release of the retaining mechanism to enable the lock core to be withdrawn to effect a key change. When such a change is desired, a special key is provided which will release the retaining means or move the key cylinder to such a position that the retaining means may be released by a separate tool to enable the core to be withdrawn and replaced by a new one.

Such mechanisms require either the use of a special key to release the retaining means or require the use of a separate tool to release the retaining means after the lock cylinder has been turned to a given position, and for this reason possess certain disadvantages in the matter of expense in the manufacture of the lock, the provision of special keys, and in some instances. diificulty in the provision of the looks with master keys, as is often necessary where a number of locks are mounted on the doors of a single building and it is required that they be operated by a I single or master key.

It is contemplated in the present invention to provide a lock with a removable tumbler mechanism having retaining means for holding the mechanism in place, such that the retaining means may be released or brought into a position where the mechanism may be withdrawn by the use of the same key which is used to operate the lock to retract the bolt or latch and without the use of any special tool or special key. It is only required that the person withdrawing the core or look mechanism be informed as tothe manner in which the key cylinder is manipulated to enable it to be withdrawn.

One object of the invention, therefore, is the provision of a lock having a removable lock core or tumbler mechanism which may be economically manufactured and at the same time be efficient in operation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a lock having a removable core such that the core may be removed by the same key which is employed to operate the lock mechanism to retract the bolt or latch.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a lock having a removable core or tumbler mechanism, as described above, which may be applicable to so-called knob locks so that it may be mounted in the usual door knob.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a lock having a removable core or tumbler mechanism with means to retain the tumbler mechanism within the lock case, which means shall be mounted upon the key barrel or key cylinder so that it may be turned by the usual key to a position in which it may be readily withdrawn.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a removable core lock having on the key cylinder thereof means to retain the cylinder in place, the retaining means cooperating with the surrounding structure in such a manner that while the key cylinder may be moved freely in one direction to actuate the bolt, it may also be turned in the other direction to effect removal of the core.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of a lock mounted upon a door and embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the lock;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views on lines 44 and 5--5, respectively, of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the key cylinder in a position in which the core or tumbler mechanism may be withdrawn from the case or surrounding structure;

Fig. '7 is a View similar to Fig. 6 showing the key cylinder turned to a position in which it retracts the bolt;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 3 but showing the lock core removed from the knob;

Fig. 10 is a view on line III-Ill of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is an elevational .view of the removable core or tumbler mechanism;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12 but showing a modified form of retaining means; and

Fig. 14 is a sectional view of the lock shown in Fig. 13, taken on line l4ll.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, I have shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings a lock of conventional form designated generally by the numeral E0, the lock being provided with a bolt H and with knobs l2 and I3. It will be understood, however, that my invention is not restricted to this particular type of look but is applicable to other types as well and particularly is adapted to the so-called tubular look, as shown, for example, in Patent No. 1,865,128, of James P. McKinney, June 28, 1932.

In the example shown, the locking mechanism is mounted in the door knob l3 which will be the outside knob of the door, and for this purpose, as shown in Fig. 3, the knob I3 is hollow to receive therein a lock mechanism or core comprising a so-called pin tumbler extension l4 mounted upon a cylindrical or tubular portion l5 within which is rotatably mounted a. key barrel i6 designed to be rotated by the key ll. It will be understood that the pin tumbler extension contains the usual pin tumblers cooperating with the usual pin drivers (not shown) mounted in the key barrel in the usual and conventional manner.

On the tubular portion l5 of the core, a rib I8 may be provided opposite the pin tumbler extension M and the forward edge of this rib and of the pin tumbler extension may be received in recesses t9 and 20, shown more especially in Fig. 4, and located at the forward end of the chamber within the knob to hold the lock mechanism rigidly in place so that it will not turn with the key cylinder. These recesses are provided in the annular projection 20 As shown in Fig. 13, a face plate 2| is provided upon the core, this face plate being adapted to fit within and close the opening 22 in the face of the knob, as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9.

As shown in Fig. 12, the key cylinder is extended beyond the tubular portion l5, and in this extended end of the key cylinder there is provided a projecting pin 23 spring-pressed outwardly or to a protracted position by a coil spring 24 mounted below the pin in the key cylinder extension. The key cylinder may also be provided upon its inner end with a non-circular opening 25 or other means to provide a non-rotatable connection with the usual rod or stem which serves to operate the belt of the lock and which, as is well understood in the art, will be turned by the turning of the key cylinder by the key.

The key cylinder is held in place within the tubular member l5 by having an enlarged head 26 at the outer end thereof and a ring 21 secured to the cylinder and abutting the inner edge of the member l5.

The knob I3 is provided with a hollow shank 28 to receive the extended end of the key cylinder, and the inner surface of this shank at positions opposite the pin 23 is provided with means to cooperate with the pin to hold the lock core or look mechanism in place within the knob and at the same time permit the rotation of the key cylinder to actuate the bolt and to permit withdrawal of the core. To effect this result, the inner surface is provided with a peripheral recess 29 having at one end a limiting shoulder 30 and at the other end a beveled portion 31 communieating with a shallower recess 32.

The shallower recess 32 is also provided with a limiting shoulder 33, and adjacent this shoulder the inner surface of the shank is beveled in 5 a longitudinal direction, as shown at 34, so that, as will be seen from an inspection of Figs. 8 and 11, at this point the wall of the recess slopes longitudinally and outwardly toward the normal diameter'of the bore in the shank. Adjacent the beveled shoulder 3i but opposite the deeper portion 29 of the recess in the shank, the latter is also beveled longitudinally, as shown at 35, this beveled portion sloping downwardly and inwardly to join the portion 36 of larger diameter in the shank bore to the portion 31 of smaller diameter and leading into the recess 29. It will be seen that the portion 36 is of larger diameter to accommodate the ring 21 upon the key barrel extension. As shown at 35 the inner edge of the beveled surface 35 is spaced to some extent from the groove or recess 29.

The operation of the parts may be briefly decribed as follows:

It may be assumed that the knob structure i3 is secured to the look upon the door in the usual manner and that it is desired to insert the lock core or tumbler mechanism therein. By lock core I refer to the structure illustrated in Fig. 12. The core is inserted longitudinally into the hollow knob shown in Fig. 9 in the proper position so that the rib l8 and forward edge of the pin tumbler extension 54 will slide into the slots l9 and 23 and the pin 23 will register with the beveled portion of the knob shank. This beveled 3.5 surface will earn the pin 23 inwardly against its spring until the core is inserted to a sufficient extent to register the pin with the groove or recess 29, at which time the pin will automatically spring outwardly into this recess. At that time 40 the pin will lie adjacent the beveled shoulder 3|, as shown more particularly in Fig. 5. This will be the normal position of the key cylinder when the key is withdrawn, the pin 23 being substantially in alignment longitudinally with the pin tumblers in the key cylinder, although this particular arrangement is not essential to the invention.

If it is desired to operate the key cylinder by the key I? to eifect a movement of the lock bolt, this may be done by the usual turning of the key toward the right. The pin 23 during this operation will move freely in the groove 23 from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. '7; that is, from a position adjacent the bevel 3! to a position adjacent the limiting shoulder 39. During this movement the pin 23 will stand in the recess 29 and prevent the withdrawal of the lock core, and as far as this operation is concerned, the core or tumbler mechanism will, to all intents and purposes, be permanently mounted Within the surrounding casing or knob structure.

If it is desired to remove the core from the lock, the key is inserted into the key cylinder and turned to the left, or the direction opposite that which is usual to actuate the bolt. When the key is turned to the left, the pin 23 is moved from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 6 wherein it passes by the bevel 3? into the shallower recess 32 and is brought to a point adjacent the shoulder 33 opposite the beveled portion 34. In this position th pin drivers in the key cylinder are out of registration with the turnblers in the pin tumbler extension and the key may not be withdrawn from the key slot. A longitudinal pull upon the key will, therefore, exert a pulling force upon the lock core and will serve to draw the lock core outwardly, the pin 23 being cammed inwardly by the longitudinally beveled portion 34 of the knob shank, so that the lock core may freely be withdrawn.

In order that a lock provided with the novel features described herein may be readily mounted upon right and left-hand doors, I provide the knob shank with the various parts above described in duplicate, as shown for example in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 10 and 11. As shown in Fig. 11, for example, a second groove 29 and associated parts are provided at the lower portion of the knob shank. Thus the core may be mounted within the knob in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 3 or may be turned through an angle of 180 and inserted in, and removed from, the knob with equal facility.

In Figs. 13 and 14 of the drawings I have shown a modified form of lock core which is similar in many respects to the core shown in Fig. 12. In this instance, however, the pin 23 (which corresponds to the pin 23 in the preceding figures of the drawings) is mounted upon a. leaf spring 48 secured at 4! to the key cylinder. The end of this spring adjacent the pin 23 is free to move into a beveled groove or slot 42 provided below the spring in the key cylinder, and the spring is held from outward movement by the ring or collar 21 In this instance the pin 23 is out of alignment with the pin tumbler openings 43 in the key cylinder in order that the spring 49 will not interfere with the operation of the pin tumblers. This lock core is adapted to be used with the knob or housing structure shown in the other figures in the drawings in the manner above described, the only essential difierence being that the retaining pin is mounted upon a. leaf spring instead of being urged outwardly by a coil spring.

It will be apparent that the lock core constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention may be removed bodily from its housing after manipulation by the usual key, and that neither a special key nor any additional tool will be required, but on the contrary, after the key cylinder has been turned to bring the retaining means to a releasing position, the core is removed by a longitudinal pull thereupon. Moreover, the beveled shoulder 3| provides a limiting means which will ordinarily prevent anyone using the key in the usual manner to unlock the door from turning the key to the left, as this shoulder will ofier sufficient resistance to the turning of the key cylinder in this direct-ion to warn the operator that the key should be turned to the right. With slight additional effort, however, the key may be turned to the left and the key cylinder moved to a position from which it may be readily withdrawn.

While I have shown and described some preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be iuiderstood that it is not to be limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A lock comprising a casing, and a removable tumbler mechanism mounted in the casing, said tumbler mechanism comprising a key cylinder, cooperating means on said key cylinder and casing for retaining the tumbler mechanism within the casing, a bolt operable by the turning of the key cylinder, and means whereby said cylinder is permitted to turn in one direction from its normal key-inserting position to operate the bolt and turn in the other direction to effect release of the retaining means.

2. A look comprising a casing, and a removable tumbler mechanism mounted in the casing,

said tumbler mechanism comprising a key cylinder, cooperating means on said key cylinder and casing for retaining the tumbler mechanism within the casing, a bolt operable by the turning of the key cylinder, and said key cylinder being rotated by a key in one direction from its key inserting position to operate the bolt and rotated by the same key in the other direction to release the retaining means.

3. A look comprising a casing, and a removable tumbler mechanism mounted in the casing, said tumbler mechanism comprising a key cylinder, cooperating means on said key cylinder and casing for retaining the tumbler mechanism within the casing, said retaining means comprising a retractible member on one of said parts engaged with the other part, and means for camming said retractible member to a retracted position when said key cylinder is turned in one direction.

4. A lock comprising a casing, and a removable tumbler mechanism mounted in the casing, said tumbler mechanism comprising a key cylinder, cooperating means on said key cylinder and casing for retaining the tumbler mechanism within the casing, a bolt operable by the turning of the key cylinder, said retaining means comprising a retractible member on one of said parts engaged with the other part, and means for camming said retractible member to a retracted position when said key cylinder is turned in one direction, and means for permitting turning of the key cylinder in the opposite direction to 0perate the bolt without effecting the retraction of said member.

5. A lock comprising a casing, and a lock core removably mounted in the casing, including a rotatable key barrel having a key slot, said key barrel being operable by a key standing in said key slot to actuate the lock and also being rotatable by the same key standing in the same position in said key slot to a position in which the core may be freely withdrawn from the casing by a longitudinal pull and means offering resistance to the rotation of the key barrel to said position.

6. A look comprising a casing, and a lock core insertable into and removable from the casing, means for retaining said core within the casing, and said core being insertable into the casing by a longitudinal thrust when in one position and being removable from the casing by a longitudinal pull when in another position.

'7. A lock comprising a casing, and a lock core insertable into and removable from the casing, means for retaining said core within the casing, said core being insertable into the casing by a longitudinal thrust when in one position and being removable from the casing by a longitudinal pull when in another position, and said core comprising a rotatable key barrel and being rotated by a key from one position to the other.

8. A lock comprising a casing, and a lock core insertable into and removable from the casing, means for retaining said core within the casing, said core being insertable into the casing by a longitudinal thrust when in one position and being removable from the casing by a longitudinal pull when in another position, and said core comprising a rotatable key barrel and being rotated by a key from one position to the other and, being rotatable by the same key to actuate the lock.

9. A look comprising a casing, and a removable tumbler mechanism mounted in the casing, said mechanism comprising a key cylinder, a retaining member movably carried by said key cylinder and adapted to engage in a recess in the casing to retain the core in place, and said casing having a cam surface adjacent one part of said recess to effect movement of said retaining member to inoperative position when the latter is drawn past said surface.

10. A look comprising a casing, and removable tumbler mechanism mounted in the casing, said mechanism comprising a key cylinder, a retaining member movably carried by said key cylinder and adapted to engage in a recess in the casing to retain the core in place, and said casing hava ing a cam surface adjacent one part of said recess to effect movement of said retaining member to inoperative position when the latter is drawn past said surface, said recess having portions of different depth and said cam surface being opposite that portion of the recess of shallower depth.

11. A look comprising a casing, and a removable tumbler mechanism mounted in the casing, said mechanism comprising a key cylinder, a retaining member movably carried by said key cylinder and adapted to engage in a recess in the casing to retain the core in place, and said casing having a cam surface adjacent one part of said recess to effect movement of said retaining member to inoperative position when the latter is drawn past said surface, said recess having portions of different depth and said cam surface being opposite that portion of the recess of shallower depth, and the two portions of said recess being joined by an inclined surface on the outer wall of the recess.

12. A lock comprising a casing, and a removable tumbler mechanism mounted in the casing and comprising a key cylinder, a retaining pin movably carried by said cylinder, the inner wall of said casing being provided with a recess to receive said pin, said recess extending transversely of the key cylinder to permit rotation of the latter, an inclined camrning surface extending longitudinally, of the casing to cam the pin to a retracted position upon insertion of the tumbler mechanism within the casing, a second cam surface upon the casing spaced from the first and located adjacent another portion of the recess to cam the pin to a retracted position upon withdrawal of the tumbler mechanism from the casing, and said cylinder being rotatable by a key to move said pin from a position opposite one cam surface to a position opposite the other cam surface.

13. A lock comprising a casing, and a removable tumbler mechanism mounted in the casing and comprising a key cylinder, a retaining pin movably carried by said cylinder, the inner wall of said casing being provided with a recess to receive said pin, said recess extending transversely of the key cylinder to permit rotation of the latter, an inclined camming surface extending longitudinally of the casing to cam the pin to a retracted position upon insertion of the tum bler mechanism within the casing, a second cam surface upon the casing spaced from the first and located adjacent another portion of the recess to earn the pin to a retracted position upon withdrawal of the tumbler mechanism from the easing, and said cylinder being operable by a key from a position opposite the first cam surface in one direction to actuate the lock and in the other direction to bring the pin opposite the second cam surface to enable the tumbler mechanism to be 5 withdrawn from the casing.

14. A lock comprising a casing, and a removable tumbler mechanism mounted in the casing and comprising a key barrel, cooperating means on the casing and key barrel to retain the tumbler mechanism in the casing, and said key barrel being rotatable in one direction to operate the lock and in another direction to release said retaining means and permit the tumbler mechanism to be freely withdrawn from the casing by 5 a longitudinal pull, and means offering resistance to the turning of the cylinder in a direction to release the retaining means.

15. A lock comprising a casing, and a removable tumbler mechanism in the casing including a key cylinder, a pin movably mounted in said key cylinder and being spring pressed to a position in which it projects from the cylinder, the inner surfaceof said casing being provided with a transverse recess to receive said pin and retain the tumbler mechanism within the casing, said recess comprising a portion of one depth to permit the pin to rotate freely therein in projecting position and a portion of shallower depth in which the pin is held in a retracted position, and an inclined surface joining the two portions of the recess to offer resistance to the entrance of the pin into the shallower portion of the recess.

16. A lock comprising a casing, and a removable tumbler mechanism in the casing including a key cylinder, a pin movably mounted in said key cylinder and being spring pressed to a position in which it projects from the cylinder, the inner surface of said casing being provided with a transverse recess to receive said pin and retain the tumbler mechanism within the casing, said recess comprising a portion of one depth to permit the pin to rotate freely therein in projecting position and a portion of shallower depth in which the pin is held in a retractedposition, an inclined surface joining the two portions of the recess to offer resistance to the entrance of the pin into the shallower portion of the recess, and means permitting free withdrawal of the tumbler mechanism from the casing when the pin is moved to a predetermined position in said shallower recess.

17. A lock comprising a casing and a removable tumbler mechanism mounted in the casing including a key rotatable element, cooperating means on said element and casing for releasably retaining the mechanism in the casing, the means on one of said parts being duplicated to cooperate with the means on the other part in either of two positions of the mechanism in the casing, and said cooperating means being key controlled so and limiting the extent of rotation of said element.

18. A lock comprising a casing, a core insertable endwise into said casing in either of two positions of said core relatively to the casing, a key-controlled spring-pressed member means for releasably retaining the core in the casing in either of said positions and means preventing said core from moving from one of said positions to the other while in the casing.

19. A look comprising a casing, a lock core including a rotatable key operated element insertable endwise in the casing in either of two positions at substantially to each other, key controlled means for releasably retaining said lock Z6 in the casing in either of said positions, means to limit the rotation of the key operated element to less than 180, and means permitting rotation of the key operated element in its normal locking function While said retaining means is in operative position.

20. A look comprising a casing and a core including a rotatable key operated element insertable endwise into the casing, means for releasably retaining said core within the casing when inserted therein in one position and for releasably retaining said core within the casing when turned through a substantial angle relative to said first position and inserted in the casing, and key-controlled means for releasing said retaining means in either position of the core, said means limiting the extent of rotation of said key operated element, and means permitting the rotation of the key operated element in its normal looking function while said retaining means is in operative position.

HENRY G. VOIGI-IT. 

